Meter.



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

1ERE@ D. HGLDSWORTI-I, OF CLAREMONT, NEWT-IAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOE. T0. SULLIVAN' MACHINERY COMPANY, 0F CTJAEEMNT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION OF nassacrrusETTs.

METER.

isaacac.

Specieationof Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 11, 1917.

Application led May B, 19.14. Serial No. 837,380.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, FEED D. Honnswonrrrr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Claremont, New Hampshire, have invented an improvement in Meters, ot which the following description, in connection withfthe accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts. i. This invention relates to pressure fluid meters, and among other objects provides a simple and eilective apparatus tor measuring the compressed air consumed i. by rock drills, coal cutters and other machinery.

The character of the invention may be best understood by reference to the following descriptionot an `illustrative embodiment thereof shown in theoaccompanying drawing, wherein:`

Fgure 1 is a vertical side elevation of an illustrative air metershown `herein asembodying `the invention; i `lli`igr2 is a vertical section taken on line 42 2 oit Fig. 1; and

fl? ig. 3 is a vertical section throughthe valve shown in Fig. 1.

i Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a `tank preferably of steel and cylindrical in `form, provided with an upper head 3 and a lower head 5. As shown herein the heads are bulged inward and provided with flanges contained within the tank and riveted thereto. i

`riveted to the upper head 3f This shell. 7 depends from said head and terminates at its lower end a short distance above the lower head 5,thereby providing a suiiicient space to permit a :tree communication to and from the inner and outer chambers. A. pipe "l1 -leads iroin a source of air supply, and a pipe 13 leads to the drill or machine to be tested tor air consumption. These pipes `are connected by a union 15 containing a four-way valve 17 operated by a handle'17a. This union is also connected to the inner and outer chambers of the tank; to the former by pipes 19 and 21, and to the latter by a pipe23. The upper end of the pipe 21 provided 4,with a plug 25 whiclr may be removed to `permit the introduction otwater into the tank. i To insure equal pressuresin the two chambers while introducing the water th erein, there is provided a small shunt pipe 27 connecting the pipes 21 and 23 and having a gage 29 for indicating the pressure in the tank. interposed in this small pipe 27 is a valve 31 which is opened while water is being introduced into the tank but closed during the operation of measuring the air. To permit the water to be drawn `irem the tank the latter maybe provided with an outlet valve 32 adjacent the lower end thereof. To `measure the amount of air passing through the tank in a given interval, there is provided a glass gage 33 connected to and communicating with the tank 1 adjacent the upper` and lower ends thereof and marked with graduations representing cubic" feet.`

ln operation theplug 25 is opened and water is introduced therethrough into `the tank until its level is about midway between the ends of the scale As stated, `the equalizing valve 31 must be open while filling, in order to equalize the airpressure in the inner and outer chambers and insure the same water level in both. After the water has been introduced into the tank, the plug `25 and the equalizer valve ifareclosed. yThen the :tour-way valve isturnedby its `handle 17a to permit a flow ot air from the `supply pipe 1l through the pipes 19 and 21 into the inner chamber, and a discharge of air from the outer chamber through the ipipesj23 and 13 to themachine being tested.

The air admitted to the inner chamber forces the water downward therein and up 1n `the `outer chamber. From `the glass `gage the change in level ol' the water in `ther outer chamber can be observed and the number ot `cubic .feet consumed in: an intervalloi tim can be readily ascertained.

Alfter the water rises in the outer chamber nearly to the top thereof, the four-way valve `may be reversed, `causing air to pass from `the supply pipe lithrough the pipe 23 into struction. The direction of the air supply to -and `from the inner and outer chambers maybe-readily shifted by means of the four- Way valve operated bythe single handle,

thereby enabling the measuring operation of the apparatus to be easily continued as long aspdesired. The Wide, open ,mouth formed at'tlie loiverendof the inner shell permits a ready flow of Water to and from the chainbersivithout producing Waves or surges in the Water which would make the gage 'readings unreliable. Y

By the employment' of the nested tank con` struction shown, wherein the tanks are arranged one with-in the other, it is also possible to reduce materially the cost of the material entering into the device as compared with constructions utilizing a pair of separate tanks, the duplication of the heads, gages, etc, being rendered unnecessary. It will further be evident that by the use of the nested construction ofthe tanks and the balancing of the pressure on the opposite sides oftheinner tank, a relatively light and cheapergrade ofmetal maybe used, if desired, in lthe manu-facture of that tank. In

connection-With my improved construction, it lWillalso be noted that due to the nested arrangement of the tanks, the space occupied -by the meter is materially vless than that which is required Where separate tanks are used, and that the device may be much more readily shifted fromlplaceto place ivhen necessary. ABy this construction, wherein the tank 71 is carried Within the `tank land the 'member 3 acts asa head for each tank, it is alsok possible to greatly facilitate and `cheapen fmanu'facture, as the inner tank has but a'single short ring-like joint to its head and may be readilyV andv conveniently attached thereto in an air tight'manner before it is inserted in thel outer tank. Thus, my -improvement lmaterially simplifies the air 'tight `joint 'and 'reduces `the length of the same heretofore necessary Where a plane partition wasused, and at thesame time favoi'ds'all necessity for doing this difficult Work from a point inside the tank. In the manufactureof this device, by attaching the inner tank to one of the heads, it is also lpossible to testthe .single air tight joint between' thev inner tank and its head by pouring a liquid into the inverted tank and thus insure that 4the sameY is air tight before it is inserted in the outer tank.

I'Having described one illustrative embodiment 4of the invention Without vlimiting the same thereto, What I claimas new and desire v'tosecureby Letters Patent is:

' 'l Ina fluid meter, a tank having means vtherein dividing thesame into communicating chambers one Within the other, a fluidconduit, and means connected thereto for s1- 'multaneously conducting fluid to one cham- Y ber and from the other.

2. In a fluid meter, a. tank having means dividing "the same into communicating cham bers one Within the other, a fluid conduit, means connected thereto and to each of said chambers for simultaneously conducting fluid to one chamber and from the other, and means for controlling the direction of the flow of fluid either to or from said chambers.

3. Iii-a pressure fluid meter, tank means comprising communicating chambers one Within the other, a gage for indicating the levelof liquid in the outei chamber, a pressure fluid conduit, pipe means connected thereto and to each of said communicating chambers, and means for revcrsibly direct- -ing pressure fluid to one chamber and from the other.

et. In a pressure fluid meter, a tank having closed ends and comprising nested elements of different length and cross section opening one into thel other at one end, a pressure fluid conduit, and means connected thereto for simultaneously conducting pressure fluid to one element and from the other.

5. In a pressure fluid meter, a tank coinprising an outer member having a head at one end and a nested inner communicating member having a head attached to and closing the opposite end of said outer member, a pressure fluid conduit, and means connected thereto for conducting pressure Huid to one member and from the other.

G. In a pressure fluid meter, an outer tubular member, a nested inner tubular member opening into said first mentioned meniber, means for sealing one end of said outer member, means for sealing one end of said inner member and the other end of said outer member, a pressure fluid conduit, and means connected thereto for conducting pressure fluid to one member and from the other.

7 In a pressure fluid meter, a tank having closed ends and comprising nested coaxially disposed elements opening one into Vthe other, at one end a pressure fluid conduit, `means connected thereto for simultaneously conductingpressure fluid to one element and from the other, and means for introducing liquid through said last mentioned means simultaneously into each of said elements.

- end of said first tank, a pressure fluid conduit, means connected thereto for reversibly supplying pressure fluid to one of said tanks and discharging pressure fluid from the other, and a gage for indicating the level of a liquid in one of said tanks.

10. ln a pressure fluid meter, a tank means dividing the same into communicating chambers one within the other, a gage for indicating the level of liquid in one of said chainbers, a pressure fluid conduit, pipes connected thereto and to each of said chambers, a valve for controlling the direction of pressure fluid movement through said pipes, an equalizer pipe connecting said pipes, and valve means for said equalizer pipe.

1l. ln a pressure fluid meter, a tank, means" dividing the saine into communicating chambers one Within the other, a gage for indicating the level of liquid in one of said chambers, a pressure fluid conduit, pipes connected thereto at common point and also connected to each of said chambers, a valved equalizer connection between said pipes, and a four-way valve disposed at the juncture of said pipes and between the points of connection of sa id equalizer connection for controlling the direction of flow oi the pressure fluid.

12. In a pressure fluid meter, a tank having an upper and a lower head, a shell secured to said upper head and projecting downward into said tank to within a short distance from said lower head, a gage for indicating the level ol liquid in one of said chambers, pressure fluid supply and discharge pipes, pipes connected thereto at a common point and to each of said chambers, a single reversible valve for controlling the direction of pressure fluid movement through said chambers, an equalizer' pipe connected between said last mentioned pipes on opposite sides of said valve, and a valve in said equalizer pipe.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED D; HOLDSWORTl-l.

Witnesses:

C. J. Jones,

IRENE KELLEY.

tuples of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. U. 

